


Broaching the Subject

by makingitwork



Series: Chase/House [47]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, normal stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-07
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 12:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2269806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makingitwork/pseuds/makingitwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>House/Chase proposal #2</p>
            </blockquote>





	Broaching the Subject

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by; Bilingual_Me 
> 
> She's a genius!

"What do you think?" Chase hums, they're in the staffroom, door locked, and the young Australian is resting his head on House's good thigh, stretched out along the sofa, while House watches General Hospital, carding his fingers through the blond hair.

House glances at the crossword, "Bullet," he says with a smug grin, and Chase fills it in happily, finally finished. He tosses the crossword aside, turning and snuggling his face into House's abdomen, eyes drifting shut. House smiles gently "Catching a quick nap before surgery?"

"Mmhmm," Chase yawns, nose scrunching up, unaware to how completely _adorable_ he looks, how young he looks. House strokes his thumb over his forehead, and Chase bites his bottom lip thoughtfully "Hey House," he says gently "What are your thoughts about....about marriage?"

The older doctor stiffened, before laughing, the sound shaking Chase, prompting him to sit up. " _Marriage?"_ House laughs, as though the very notion is stupid "Marriage is a superfluous archaic tradition for stupid couples who believe they need everything to be written in writing for it to be remotely real. Marriage is messy and ugly and leads only to divorces, and splitting up of property. It's bad for everyone involved. Marriage, pfft," he rolled his eyes "A disgusting thing really, don't ever expect me to be into that."

Chase smiles weakly, laughing, before almost tripping over his own feet in his rush to get out of the room. As soon as he's free, he collapses against the wall, eyes burning with tears. Half having a panic attack, struggling to controlling his breathing as his hair falls into his eyes. That's how Foreman and Cameron find him. "Hey," Cameron soothes, rubbing his shoulder "Chase? What's wrong?"

And belatedly, Chase tells them.

Cameron's consoling, but Foreman's blunt. "Come on man," he sighs, sympathetic, but factual, "This is House we're talking about. What did you expect? A prince in disguise?"

"I don't know what I expected!" Chase snaps sharply "But I didn't expect a blatant dismissal. We've been dating for _14 months._ I don't know if you guys realise, but that means a lot. A hell of a lot." They nod understandingly "Marriage is..." he rubs the back of his neck "It's something I always thought I'd do." That's true enough, some parts of his time in the seminary burn through his soul. Some parts he'll never be able to escape. And marriage is one of them.

Chase has to admit, he's shaken.

And that's saying something.

Chase has been pretty stable in their relationship. Even when House was a complete ass, even when they had that huge fight about who should move in with who (Chase won in the end, what with his bigger apartment and the fact that when he shot House those puppy eyes, the older doctor could hardly ever say no) but this...Chase ends up on the roof of the hospital, the cool breeze calming. He doesn't think he can get over this.

...

...

...

"Sometimes Jimmy," House growled, hurling the stapler across the room so it crashed against the wall "I wonder what the hell the point is." He clawed a row of books off the shelf and Wilson winced.

"House, I don't really understand why you're destroying my office?"

"Because!" House growled, pulling the ring box out of his pocket and throwing it at Wilson who caught it with a look of disbelief. He popped it open, admiring the intricately designed gold band. "Yeah. I was gonna propose this weekend, but then the stupid wombat had to go and ask me what I thought about marriage, and I thought he knew, so I had to throw him off the trail, and I told him I thought marriage was stupid, and I was never gonna do it."

Wilson nodded "Okay...so what's the problem? Just propose this weekend and it'll be an even bigger surprise."

"Yes," House pointed his cane at Wilson "That _would work_ except for the fact I think..." his voice dropped into a soft quiet tone "I think I hurt his feelings, and he's...he's been avoiding me."

Wilson pressed his lips together thoughtfully "But don't you guys live together?"

"He hasn't been coming home. He's been sleeping in the hospital." House massaged his temples roughly, leg beginning to throb. "So, great King of Advice, what do I do?" But when he looked up, Wilson was gone, leaving the ring box on the table. House snatched it up, and started pacing.

...

...

...

"God Wilson-" Cameron grabbed the white coat of the oncologist as he strolled by the kitchen "Where's House?!"

Wilson frowned "In my office, why?"

"Because Chase is looking for him to break up with him! He has to hide-"

"What?" Wilson felt a horrible sinking feeling slide down his throat along with his baloney sandwich "Chase is breaking up with him? Why? Because of the whole marriage thing?" Cameron nodded and Wilson sprinted back towards his office, Cameron close on his heels "Shit, shit, shit," they got there just as House was leaving, and Wilson grabbed his arm "We have to hide you!" He insisted "Chase is coming to break up with you because he thinks you don't want to marry him-"

"House, there you are!" Chase calls, panting "Can I talk to you for a second?"

House swallows thickly, looking between Chase and the ever increasing crowd around then hooked his cane around Chase's neck, hauling him forward for a bruising kiss, to which Wilson, Foreman and Cameron looks away, but the nurses all 'awed' at. "Here, you idiot," House quips into Chase's ear, "See what you make of that." And he pushes the ring box into the Australian's hand. Chase looks down in shock, staring up with wide eyes.

"When did you get this?" He whispers, fingers rubbing over the felt, as he pops it open and shivers.

"About a month ago."

"I..." Chase looks up, eyes suddenly springing with tears, and he hugs House so tightly, nuzzling his soft blond hair into his neck "I'm so sorry,"

"Nah," House chuckled fondly, wrapping his arms around Chase and kissing his temple "The right answer is yes."

"Yes, yes, a million times yes."

House gives Wilson a thumbs up, as though to pretend the fleeting moment of horror when he thought Chase was going to leave him never happened. And they'll never speak of it again.


End file.
